The Belgian goalkeeper is still in pain from the sciatica he has had since the beginning of the month and Lunin will defend the goal for the first time against Madrid’s perennial rival
While Real Madrid have not yet confirmed his absence, Thibaut Courtois will not be able to defend the white side’s goal in Sunday’s classic at the Bernabeu. The Belgian goalkeeper has not improved from the sciatica that has plagued him since October 2 last year, which has prevented him from playing the last four games of the League and the European champion. Although Courtois had improved in recent days and Carlo Ancelotti was confident he would be available for the game against Barca, the Madrid goalkeeper is still in pain, he did not train in Valdebebas this Friday and will not arrive in time for the match corresponding to matchday nine of the championship.
Ukrainian Andriy Lunin therefore plays his first classic on Sunday and faces the most fit striker in the League, Robert Lewandowski. Lunin kept a clean sheet for Madrid against Getafe for the first time this season in the League and gained experience in recent games replacing the undisputed Courtois, but the classic will be a litmus test for the young keeper
Lunin defended Real Madrid’s goal against Osasuna, Getafe and in the Champions League double against Shakhtar and will have to do the same against Barcelona, despite Ancelotti’s hopes that he would return for the game against the eternal rival. “Courtois is much better. We spoke to him before we left Madrid. The plan is that he will start training on Thursday and be ready for Sunday,” confirmed Carlo Ancelotti the day before the European and Liga champion’s trip to Warsaw to meet Shakhtar. However, the predictions have not come true, as Courtois continues to struggle with intense heat. have pain in the sciatic nerve.
The one who does hope to be available for the classic is Antonio Rüdiger, after the German defender received 20 stitches after the blow to the forehead when he scored the equalizer for Madrid ‘in extremis’ against Shakhtar. Rüdiger trained with his teammates this Friday. In the event that he was a starter, Rüdiger would play in a protective mask at the Bernabéu.
Source: La Verdad
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